Greatest RPGs of the last generation

There’s nothing quite like the smell of controversy on a Monday morning, or should we say the afternoon.

The last generation for video gaming was particularly RPG-rich: Skyrim, Ni No Kuni, Demon’s Souls, Mass Effect, and let us not forget Fallout 3 and its follow up, Fallout: New Vegas.

So we thought, hey, why not get everyone a little heated up and tell you which of the last generation RPGs were the best.

For those of you that require a metric or qualification for our picks, how about we just call them our favourite RPGs. That way, if you disagree… well tough.

Fallout 3

Fallout 3

Fallout 3 was the greatest take on the end of the world, bar none. Its massive wasteland and deep character choice system made it something you had to replay over and over again to fully experience.

Bethesda did an excellent job in re-imagining the end of the world with their own unique twist on the, otherwise generic, nuclear apocalypse. Washington D.C., the Nuclear Wasteland and all of its inhabitants just felt like they belonged.

The game’s unique V.A.T.S system allowed for a deeper battle system than the traditional point and shoot, but Bethesda still allowed for a more FPS-like approach should you so choose.

And if you thought Fallout 3 out of the box was something, wait until you see what it can do with a few mods installed.

Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

Oliver’s mother dies in a freak accident. It’s a tragic event that forces Oliver into a journey to another realm in an attempt to find her spiritual counterpart so to bring his mother back to life.

With Studio Ghibli, the team behind the spectacular Spirited Away, and Level 5, the team behind the breath-taking Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King, it was hard to go wrong. Ni No Kuni was the ultimate mash-up of great story telling, vast environments and a battle system reminiscent of an older generation, but fresh enough to have us entertained throughout.

The game lasted well over 70 hours, and even after I achieved a Platinum trophy for it, I still longed for more.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Elder Scrolls: Skyrim

Have you ever met someone that told you they hated Skyrim? I hope you gave them one good punch in the face, because that is blasphemy.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was the ultimate in open-world fantasy RPGs. Just when you thought the series could not get any more epic, Oblivion having done such a considerable job, Bethesda added dragons.

Over 120 hours and a platinum trophy later, as well as a keen eye for dragon bones, and I had fallen victim to the Skyrim tornado; it pulls you in and never lets go.

Final Fantasy XIII

Final Fantasy XIII

I know some people hated Final Fantasy XIII, but it was not the worst game in the world. It was a vision that failed to live up to the Final Fantasy name, but that still proved for a rather enjoyable ride.

Lightning has become the second most popular Final Fantasy character, next to Cloud. Her journey to break the bonds of the L’Cie took her into Cocoon, a world of strict law and order. He ultimate goal, to take down Sanctum while trying avoid an eternal sleep.

The game had a great setting, Cocoon and Pulse were beautiful worlds that were well imagined. The battle system was a fresh new spin on the traditional turn-based combat, and the Eidolons were as Final Fantasy as it was going to get.

Dark Souls

Dark Souls

The hardest game in the world? Probably not. But it got close.

While Dark Souls may have received a sequel in early 2013, it was the original that stole our hearts through frustration and the demand for a more patient, tenacious approach to gaming.

The game was as relentless as possible. Taking us to the dark recesses of one’s souls and pulling it apart.

The enemies were designed to kill us over and over again, and even traversing the environment meant your life was at risk at all times.

There was nothing easy about Dark Souls, even trying to make sense of the story meant reading item descriptions until you managed to crack the code. That is why Dark Souls was one of the greatest RPGs of the last generation.

South Park: The Stick of Truth

South Park: The Stick of Truth

You would never say “South Park had one of the best games ever released”, would you? Well South Park: The Stick of Truth was a testament to satirical comedy.

The game was a true to the TV show as it could possibly get, and I personally even cringed at times, and I’ve seen everything.

From fighting Kim Kardashian’s foetus, to climbing up Mr. Slave’s rectum, it was all one giant absurdity. And it was one with immense attention to detail.

The game successfully merged a great RPG experience with a decent combat system that was inspired by the Super Mario RPGs. There was just nothing like it, and I doubt there will be for years to come.

South Park: The Stick of Truth is perhaps the best licensed game of all time. It was that good.

What were your favourite RPGs of last generation? Let us know in the comments and forum! Come one, tell us why we were wrong.